The Greatest Wonder
by AFandomofmanyFaces
Summary: A story of Jesse Tuck, the adventures he goes on, and the people he meets. *Says Book Tuck Everlasting, but is based on the musical. They didn't have that category yet.* Please read and review so I can improve. Also, send me a DM if you have a specific adventure you'd love to hear about!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: A New Beginning

"Jesse, you need to wait up!"

Jesse scampered ahead, the breeze roughing up his bleached-brown hair as he jumped up and grabbed the nearest branch he could find. Laughing, he missed, but managed to scamper up before his brother caught him.

"Miles, you're just mad because you can't catch me since I had my last growth spurt." Jesse laughed and continued to climb the ash tree that must've been there for a thousand years, it was so tall.

"Miles, let your brother run," their mother, Mae, panted as she set down the pack she had been carrying. "Though Lord knows how he has enough energy to run at this time. We've been walking for almost 7 hours."

She may have said more, but Jesse could no longer hear her. The leaves and sky surrounded him, and he could swear he could see for miles in every direction. The sun was setting in the west, burning a crimson hue in the sky, melting into the blue with splashes of pink and gold. There was an old silo in the distance; it had to be only a mile away. He made a mental note to find it so he could climb it – it was even higher than the trees, and he needed to know what it felt at such heights.

"Jesse! Come down from there. You're worrying your mother."

It was Angus, his father. Jesse considered his options, but decided that fighting this time wasn't worth it. Sliding down the trunk, he saw his brother carrying firewood from the far end of what looked like what was going to be their camp for the night. Running up to Mae, Jesse caught her in a bear hug, laughing while she struggled in vain to escape.

"Were you worried about me, Ma?" He asked coyly, pecking her on the cheek.

"Of course I was, Jesse, though I don't see why I should be. You're a regular monkey, aren't you?" She fondly kissed his forehead, then turned him and swatted his behind. "Now go help your brother find more wood. It's getting chilly and I want a nice fire before dark falls."

Miles stumbled into camp, bearing a large load of wood. "Ma, Pa, I found some water!" Jesse's ears perked up when he heard that bit of news. It had been hours since they had finished their last supply of water, and he was parched.

"Where, Miles? Where's the water?" The three other travelers cried, and, after Miles pointed out the direction, they all began to sprint towards their savior.

A few minutes later, Jesse cried, "Come on, I think I see water ahead!"

Mae tripped over her dress, pleading for the boys to slow down, but Miles just kept sprinting ever faster toward their destination.

"You kidding, Ma? We're dying of thirst!"

Jesse managed to reach the spring first, and falling to his knees, he began to gulp as though his life depended on it. Not long after, Mae and Angus were next to him, splashing their faces and laughing at the refreshment.

"Miles, c'mon, drink!" Jesse beckoned to his brother, and Miles knelt beside him, only to be greeted by a splash directly in his face.

"JESSE!" Miles was speechless, gazing at the smirking face of his brother, only to take his hand and repeatedly throw water on his younger brother, ignoring the pleas of their mother to behave themselves. Eventually, the boys were reduced to a heap of giggles in the grass, having quenched their thirst, thoroughly soaked.

"Ha, look at Whistle," Miles wheezed as he pointed at their cat. "He's thirsty, too."

"A spring is a good omen," Angus said with a smile. Jesse rolled his eyes, but his father continued, Where there's water, there's opportunity, and where there's opportunity, there's our new life." He tenderly let his gaze settle on his wife, and after a few seconds Miles raise a cup in the air as a toast.

"Let 1808 be our best year yet."

It didn't take long for the travelers to pack up their belongings, having only brought what they could easily carry, and they were soon snuggled under various blankets and articles of clothing trying to keep warm.

Miles and Jesse were slightly apart from their parents, under an oak tree that was slightly shorter than the others.

"Jesse?"

"Yea, Miles?"

"You awake?"

"No."

"Okay."

Thirty seconds pass, and Jesse sat up, leaning on his elbow.

"What do you want, Miles?"

There was a pause, and Jesse almost thought his brother must've fallen asleep, when Miles answered quietly, "Are you afraid that maybe moving was a bad idea?"

"A bad idea?" Jesse was taken back by the question. His brother had seemed just as excited by the move as he was, and Jesse couldn't wait to leave Kansas and find a place that had higher terrain than flat plains and wheat fields. "Why would you think it's a bad idea? I know it's a lot of walking, but we're almost there, and besides, I've never been in better shape."

Miles chuckled, but still looked concerned. "I know, but I just have a sinking feeling in my stomach, and I don't know how to get rid of it, and I don't know what is causing it except for this move. Maybe it's getting more real for me now that it's almost through."

"Yeah, well, stop worrying," Jesse yawned, "and get some sleep. You're gonna need it." His snoring ended the conversation.

* * *

The next day, the family reached the town of Treegap. At least that's what they learned from a young man by the last name of Foster. The town was at least five miles down the road, but the woods were full of game and the lake was full of fish, and Angus was able to spend many an hour cultivating a friendship with the man who introduced them to the woods.

Miles managed to find a job as a carpenter in the town proper of Treegap, while Jesse preferred to roam the woods and became a delivery boy for the inhabitants of the less cultivated areas of New Hampshire, sometimes covering 20 miles in one day. He didn't spend much time at home, but that made his stops at home all the more special for Mae.

One day two years later, Jesse stopped by his home, but someone was there who normally wasn't. It was a girl, and he would've suspected his ma, but her laugh was lighter, and cooler in a way.

"Oh, Miles, tell your mother about when your scarf got caught in the mill, and I had to cut you out for an hour."

Jesse peeked through the window, and there was a young woman sitting at there dining room table, her black hair pinned up halfway and flowing down her back in soft waves. Her cheeks were pinched, almost as though she had tried to make them pink, and her smile was forced, at least in his opinion. Why was she here? What did she want?

Opening the door, he made a show of coming in, so as not to look like he had been spying.

"Ma, I'm home!"

"Jesse, my boy!" Ma cried as she ran and hugged her younger son, kissing him on the cheek as she wiped flour off her hands. "How was your trip? Did you meet any new people? Did you get paid?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Ma, slow down. Yes, I did get paid, I met a man who told me I was 19 just by looking at me, and I fell out of a tree –"

"YOU WHAT?!" Mae shrieked. Jesse tried to interrupt, but she kept yelling, hitting him with a hand towel. "Jesse Alan Tuck, what in the name of all that is holy were you thinking just dropping that information on me? Are you all right, did you break anything? How long did you lie there?"

"Mother, mother, I'm fine, I swear. I wasn't hurt at all. It was sort of a miracle, actually." Turning to the table, he continued, "Speaking of miracles, who is this? Did Miles actually make a friend?" He winked at the young woman, and she blushed, glancing sideways at Miles.

"Well, erm, yes," Miles stammered, covering the woman's hand with his own. "This is Margaret, Jesse. She – she's rather more than a friend, actually. She's –" and he seemed to have a hard time saying the words, "she's my fiancée. We're engaged to be married this summer."

Dumbstruck, Jesse dropped the apple he was about to bite into. He quickly picked it up, embarrassed. "Congratulations, you two. Miles. A word."

Miles stood up and nodded at Margaret before following Jesse into the family room adjacent to the kitchen. Before he could say anything, Jesse began.

"Engaged, eh?"

Miles shrugged. "I felt it was time."

"Time? Time!? You barely know this woman! I know because I barely know this woman!" Jesse began pacing back and forth, tapping his fingers on his arms, trying to make sense of what was happening.

"What do you mean, I "barely know this woman"? I've known her for six months and have been courting her for five. I should think I know this woman."

"How have I never met her before then?"

"YOU'VE BEEN GONE FOR ALMOST NINE MONTHS, JESSE!" Miles screamed at his brother. He didn't care if Margaret could hear him; he was sick of Jesse always having to be a part of everything he did, having control of everything he wanted to do. "You didn't meet her because you haven't been around. And I love her and I want her to be part of our family. You're not losing me, Jesse. You're not. You're just getting another sibling, and I'm sure you'll love her as well if you get to know her." He sighed, sinking into an armchair. "Do you remember when we first came to Treegap? How I felt that something bad would happen?" Jesse nodded, so he continued, "Well, I don't feel that way anymore, and that's because Margaret helps me feel happy. I'm not worried when she's around. I feel like I don't have to worry about you as much, because I have someone to care for."

"I don't know if I should be offended by that or not," Jesse laughed, "but I'm glad that you're happy, Miles, I truly am. It's been a while since you've genuinely had joy in your life, and I guess I'm just jealous that you're getting that joy from someone else. But I suppose it is only natural." He ruffled Miles' hair, then ran when his brother jumped up to beat him up one last time.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Love those you Love

Miles and Margaret's wedding was beautiful on July 23, 1811. White lilies lined the aisle way, which paired quite well with the lavender dresses the bridesmaids wore. Guests filled the church and reception hall; even the mayor came to see Miles marry his beloved.

Jesse had a blast. There was food, there was dancing, and, when his parents weren't watching, there was alcohol. He managed to snatch a cup of spiked punch and hide behind a tree, trying not to look like he was doing something suspicious.

"Whatcha doing?"

Jesse jumped, barely avoiding spilling his drink on his shirt. Looking around, he couldn't find the source of the voice, until he felt a tap on his shoulder.

Looking up, he saw a young girl sitting in a branch of the tree under which he had taken refuge. Taking a drink, he set the cup down before climbing up to the girl, who moved to give him room on the branch.

"Hi, I'm Jesse…do I know you?"

The girl laughed, swinging her legs, which hung free off the branch. "I don't think I've met you, but I know about you. I'm Patience." She waited for what seemed like recognition, but Jesse could not place her, so she said, "Margaret's younger sister?"

Jesse felt his face burn as he realized he didn't even recognize his own sister-in-law. "I-I'm sorry, I don't know how I didn't recognize you, I-"

Thankfully Patience saved him from further embarrassment. "It's okay, Jesse, you're busy. I get it. Miles told us that you have a lot on your plate, and no one is upset that you missed family dinners or that you weren't in the wedding." She paused, then added, "Well, Mother wasn't too keen about that, but Miles and Margaret weren't worried about it, so after some weeks she stopped griping about it as well." She laughed again. It seemed to float along the breeze, light like a bell one would put on a Christmas tree.

"So," Patience jumped off the branch, and Jesse followed close behind," what's it like having a brother that's married?"

"It can't be too much different from a sister, I'd think," Jesse quipped, trying not to smirk too much.

"That is true, but she's not my only sister. I have two younger siblings, so life won't change too drastically, I hope." She snatched up Jesse's drink, and motioned to it. "May I?"

Jesse hesitated, but didn't want to make a scene. Leaning in close, he whispered, "It's not punch, but you can have some if you want." He watched her reaction as she downed the whole cup in 3 seconds without flinching, and it wasn't a weak drink, either.

Turning to him, she flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Where do we put the used glasses?" Jesse tried to find words, but just stared blankly at her, mouth agape. "Well, let's go find it, if you have no idea."

Jesse allowed himself to be dragged along as the girl grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the food table. The crowds were bigger, the music was louder, and she was talking to him but he couldn't hear a word she said.

"What?!" Jesse pointed at his ear, hoping she'd understand his problem.

Pulling him closer, she leaned in and shouted into his ear, "DO YOU WANT TO DANCE?" Jesse nodded automatically. He didn't like to dance much, but when someone smells like vanilla you don't say no.

Swinging and turning to the music, Jesse struggled to keep his balance, while Patience lived up to the meaning of her name, being the calmest teacher he had ever had.

"No, Jesse-wait-place your foot here," she laughed, deftly moving away from his trampling body. A cat screeched as Jesse stepped on its poor tail, and the boy backed away quickly, bumping into other couples trying to dance to the music.

"Come on, lets go somewhere you won't hurt anyone," Patience laughed, and once more Jesse found himself being pulled to another section of the festivities.

They found the happy couple cutting into their wedding cake, and they fell to the back of the crowd, neither of them wanting to risk their limbs for a piece of cake.

"Do you think you'd ever do it, Jesse?" Patience asked, gazing at Miles and Margaret with wide, curious eyes.

"Do what?" Jesse leaned against the house, trying to get comfortable as the warm humidity settled as the night waned on.

"Get married. Have children. Do you think you would do it?"

Jesse pondered this question for a moment. After a minute, he said, "I don't know. Probably. But she'd have to be really special."

Patience turned to look directly at her new friend. "Special…how, exactly?"

"Well," Jesse paused, gathering his thoughts, "I don't want to settle down." He glanced furtively at the girl, gauging her reaction, then continued, "I want to see the world, explore new places…you know what I'm trying to say?"

Slowly, Patience nodded her head. "Yes. Yes, I think I do."

Silence fell between the two of them as the stars began to emerge from the blanketing darkness. Miles and Margaret left the scene with rice thrown in their general direction as the cart took them to their new home, just a few hundred yards from the place the rest of the Tucks were living. The lightning bugs flitted through the trees as a new era began, one full of life, love, and change. The clocks were reset, and time was new. Anything could happen.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Living the Dream

August 8, 1816…

"Jesse! Miles! Come in and see the baby!"

The two men rushed into the room, Miles sweating profusely, Jesse jumping up and down, neither unable to control their emotions well. Margaret was lying on the bed, dripping sweat, and holding a bundle that was hardly the size of her chest.

"What is it, darling?" Miles knelt by her side, brushing aside the blanket to get a good look at the child's face.

"It's a boy, Miles." Mae touched his shoulder, and they shared a smile that lasted but a moment before he turned his attention back to his baby.

"I was hoping to name him after my father. Thomas Tuck. What do you think, dear?" Margaret reached for her husband's hand, and he grasped it tight.

"It's an honorable name, and I hope that our son is as upright and honest a man as your father was, Meg." He planted a kiss on her cheek, before asking, "May I?..." Margaret handed him the child in response, and Jesse saw a look sweep over his brother's face he had never seen before. It was an odd mixture of pride and complete overwhelming awe. As though Miles couldn't believe he had helped make this…being. This living thing was his.

"Do you want to hold your nephew, Jesse?" Angus beckoned him to come over, and Jesse came, though he was nervous to hold a baby for the first time. Nestled in his arms, Thomas was so warm and soft, barely making a sound, at least compared to when he first entered the world.

"I wouldn't mind having a child if they were always like this," he chuckled. His family laughed as he continued to gaze at the face of his newest partner in crime. "I have so many things to teach you, Thomas," he whispered, thinking of all the places they'd go.

* * *

"How is your nephew, Jesse?" Patience called as she skipped up to the front porch of the family cabin.

"Small," he laughed, and held out his hand to help her up the stairs, which she firmly refused.

"I'm not weak, sir," she replied haughtily, yet Jesse could sense a smile forming behind her pretty pout. Settling herself into a wicker chair, she looked around expectantly. "

Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Well, what's the surprise? You told me you were going to show me something today, and I've been waiting in anticipation all week. What is it?" Jesse held back a laugh as Patience wriggled in her chair with excitement.

"It's not here; come on, let me show you."

Patience did not need to be told twice. Before Jesse was off the porch, the girl was running down the worn path through the woods, calling back to him to catch up before he got left behind.

* * *

Patience had never seen a clearing so calm and peaceful in her life. The sun filtered through the leaves of the ash and oak trees and sprinkled its rays on the ground below. A bubbling stream wound its way lazily through the woods, barely moving, yet somehow making it to its destination all the same. Daffodils, daisies, and plants she had never seen before were growing all around, near tree trunks, by the bank of the river. Butterflies fluttered by, stopping now and again to visit a plant for a few moments before moving on.

"Jesse," she breathed, clasping his hand, "how long have you known about this place?"

Jesse squeezed the hand she had inserted in his. "This is the first place we camped in New Hampshire when we moved here. Before we knew about Treegap. Before I knew about you." He looked down at the tan face which was gazing out on the landscape he had sought shelter in many a day when the world was overwhelming him and he just needed quiet time alone with his thoughts. "Come on, let me show you the tree."

"What tree?"

"This tree—" He led her to the ash tree where, years before, he had carved a "T" in the trunk. There it was, the same as the day he had left it, clear cut and new.

"It's so beautiful; it's as though an elf passed through this place." Patience ran her finger down the stem of the "T," so tenderly it was as though she was afraid she'd ruin it with her touch.

"Who knows, maybe one did." Jesse shrugged, then lit up. "Come on, there's one more place I want to show you."

Running ahead, he led her to another clearing. In the middle of the mowed field was a silo, which Jesse deftly began to climb. Patience was a little more hesitant.

"Is this legal, Jesse? I mean, who owns this silo?" She fidgeted nervously, not wanting to get in trouble, but also not wanting to miss a good time.

"It's Ol' Man Fisher's silo; he only comes here if something is broken or if he's filling it up—we're safe. Come on!" He held out his hand to help her up, and this time Patience grasped it and joined him on the ladder. Together, they climbed to the top of the silo and took in the view.

"Out of all the places in Treegap, this has the best view," Jesse sighed. The sunset was breathtaking—reds, pinks, and browns mixed together in a cacophony of colors that accented the treeline perfectly.

"Jesse, I can't believe I've never been here before."

"Patience, I can show you so much more, if you want."

"Jesse, are you proposing to me? On top of a silo?"

Jesse's face burned, and he went speechless for a few moments.

"Because if you are, I'm going to have to refuse."

The burning in his face left as quickly as it came. "N-no?"

Patience grinned sheepishly, before quietly whispering a short, "Yes, Jesse. No."

Jesse couldn't help but grin out of sheer relief. "Good, Patience, cause you see, I wasn't proposing. Not in the slightest."

"You weren't?" Confusion was written plainly on the girl's face, so Jesse quickly explained:

"You see, I don't want to marry you. I don't really want to marry anyone, really. I see you as a sister, what with Miles' marrying Margaret and all, but I do enjoy your company. And my dreams to travel the world haven't changed. I want to see things that people only hear about or read about in books. The pyramids, the Rio Grande, the – the – world! But I know most girls don't want that. So how bout we see the world, as friends? Then you can settle down whenever you want. We'll have so many adventures, Patience, you and me. What d'ya say?"

He knelt down on one knee, the two of them on top of the old silo, the sun sinking in the horizon, slowly at first, then ever so slightly picking up speed.

"Oh, Jesse—" Patience looked at her hands, clasped in his own, "I – I –"

"Yes?"

"Of course, I will!" Patience let out a squeal as Jesse picked her up in a massive hug. "Let me down! We'll fall!" But she couldn't stop smiling as they left the magical spot in the middle of the woods to go back home and begin making plans.


	4. Chapter 4

December 24, 1821

"Merry Christmas!" The tidings rang through the house as Jesse and Patience made their way out of the cold into the warm embrace of their family. Thomas ran around, jumping up and down, wanting to be the center of attention and to see his "Uncan Jesse".

"How's my little man?" Jesse scooped the boy up in his arms, tickling him until Margaret gave him a look that told him a screaming toddler was not what the family needed at the moment, even if it was originating from laughter.

"Uncan Jesse, I loth a tooth!" Thomas smiled wide, showing the gap between two of his bottom teeth.

"So you did. Do you know what that means?" The boy shook his head. "It means," Jesse stalled as he dug in his pocket, "that you're growing up. Here you go, young man." And with a flourish, he presented his nephew with a small trinket.

Thomas cocked his head to one side. "What ith it?"

Miles came over and kneeled beside his son. "Why, Thomas, it looks like Uncle Jesse got you a slingshot! Come on, let me show you how it works."

"Not in the house!" Margaret called from the other side of the kitchen. She sighed as her son and husband went outside to find some pebbles to use in his new toy. "I swear, Jesse, you spoil that boy."

"Nonsense, Meg," Jesse grinned. "It's Christmas. The boy deserves to be spoiled. Which reminds me, Miles made off with the kid before I could wish him a happy birthday."

Jesse noticed Margaret purse her lips together, but said nothing. He chose to ignore it; if Miles and Margaret were having problems, they were none of his concern.

"Are you and Miles going to do anything for his birthday? I can watch Thomas for you if you'd like?" Jesse noticed some of the tension leave Meg's face, and he knew that offer was the best thing he could have done for his sister-in-law at this moment.

"Oh, Jesse, could you? I know you and Patience just got back from Brooklyn, but if you wouldn't mind—"

"Nonsense, Meg," Patience cut in. "Jesse and I came back to spend time with family. What better way than to help my own dear sister?" She kissed Margaret on the cheek, and then began sweeping flour off the counter. "What can I do to speed up this process?"

Jesse saw Meg quickly wipe her eyes, struggling to form a sentence. Stuttering, she repied, "Don't mind me, darlings. I appreciate you more than you know." And with that, she went to her room to get ready for the night.

Jesse looked at Patience, who returned his confused gaze.

"Don't ask me what that was about," the girl said. "She didn't even tell me what needed to be done with this meal."

The evening went by seamlessly. Thomas was on his best behavior; at least, behavior fit for a 5 year old boy. In between games on the living area floor, Jesse and Patience told Mae and Angus about their latest trip.

"It was surreal, Mae," Patience gushed. "We stayed in Brooklyn to visit one of Jesse's friends he made when he delivered packages, but we managed to make it all the way to Niagra Falls. Imagine! Niagra Falls." She clasped her hands together like a young schoolgirl. "I never thought I would see those in person before now."

Jesse grinned as Patience continued to rave over their trip. He had been to these locations before, but he was so happy he was able to share them with his best friend.

"Still," Patience interjected, after still another story about how Jesse managed to outwit a thief who tried to steal her scarf while at Virginia beach, "I think my favorite sight-seeing spot was the cute little clearing Jesse showed me…what was it now, five years ago?"

Mae laughed and clapped her hands. "Ah, yes, that lovely spot. Isn't it a shame your father and I haven't been out to see that old tree since we left that spot the first time we came here?"

"Oh, I visit that clearing at least once a week," Patience smiled and looked over at Jesse, reaching over and squeezing his hand, almost as if to say "thank you" for showing her the secret spot.

"The "T" I placed on the tree is still there, as crooked as ever," Jesse laughed merrily as Angus returned from the barn and joined them in reminiscing fondly over the past decade and how it had changed their lives so much for the better.

But the good times were not to last forever, it seemed.

"Meg…Margaret, please! You have to listen to me…trust me, I don't understand any more than you do!"

"Ten years, Miles. Ten years! It's been ten years…Ten years!" Although she was in the other room, she sounded as though she simply lost the ability to say any other words.

Jesse and Patience looked at each other, each seeing the other in the same amount (if not more) confusion than the other. Jesse scrambled up from off his knees and headed to the kitchen. "Miles, Margaret, is everything okay?"

Miles was standing in the doorway, his hands raised in denial. Margaret was by the oven, resituating the bread in the baskets over and over again. Margaret would keep looking up at Miles, but every time they'd make eye contact, she'd angrily scowl down at her hands. It was obvious something was wrong…but what for?

"Darling, I promise, nothing has happened. I have no idea why this is happening to me, but we can figure it out together, I promise! Can't you believe me?"

Margaret was silent for a full minute, fully attacking a dinner roll, punching it and kneading it on the counter-top, until finally, she threw it back in the bread basket with a scream.

"No, Miles, I can't! God- I'm-ugh-I'm sorry, but I can't. I don't know what to believe right now. I'm going to my mother's tonight. I need some space." She looked up and saw Jesse standing in the doorway. "Where's Thomas?" She began picking up articles she would be taking home with her.

"You weren't thinking of taking him away, were you, Meg?" Miles' mouth was agape; he was barely able to register the information that statement gave him.

Meg brushed a piece of flyaway hair to behind her ear, her air grim, and kept picking up their son's things. "Yes, Miles. I can't leave him here. Jesse, tell Patience we're leaving in five minutes."

Miles stood where he was, unable to move, and Jesse knew that his brother was in shock. Taking his brother by the shoulders, Jesse moved Miles toward the living room, whispering to him that everything was going to be all right. Miles didn't respond, but willingly allowed himself to be steered toward the sofa and sat down, where he stared blankly at the wall while Jesse informed Patience of her sister's decision.

Confused, Patience complied, and within five minutes, all of the Tuck's extended family had left the cabin.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Conclusion

The clock was the only sound the family could hear as they sat in a perfect circle around the living room. It had been two hours, and Miles still hadn't said a word.

 _Tick._

"Miles, darling…"

 _Tock._

"Miles?"

 _Tick._

"Miles, listen, what happened, Son?"

 _Tock._

Jesse squirmed in his seat, unable to take the silence anymore.

"Miles, tell us what happened. We can't do anything until we know, and we can't know unless…" He stopped when his mother raised her hand, warning him about saying too much more. Standing up, she moved over to her oldest son and kneeled in front of him.

"Miles, honey?" She touched his hand, and at her touch, Miles woke up. Looking into his mother's eyes, he began to weep openly. The family was not expecting this. They shifted awkwardly in their seats, eyeing each other uneasily, not sure which one of them ought to speak first. When he dried most of his tears, Miles finally told them what had occurred that night.

"Ma, Pa, Jesse…Oh god." He hiccupped, trying to regain his composure, but gave that up to continue. "Have you noticed anything…strange about us?" Jesse grunted, but Miles gave him a look. "I mean it. Jesse, what about that time you fell from a tree? You said you were surprised that you weren't hurt. And what about our cat? She's still having kittens. She shouldn't be able to do that. She is literally 19 years old. She should be dead. Ma, you barely have any grey hairs, and while you look beautiful, isn't that something to cause concern?"

"Miles, I'm flattered you notice my hair, but what does that have to do with your fight with Margaret?" Mae laughed under her breath, but the tension in the room was tangible.

"Ma, I'm not the only one who has noticed these things." The young man took a deep breath, "Margaret has as well. And she thinks we're possessed."

At this announcement the whole room stood still. It was though time itself had frozen. No one even breathed. Finally, Angus broke the silence with a laugh. It started off small, but eventually the whole room was filled with the guttural laugh of the older man, followed by his wife and Jesse. Only Miles was the only person who was completely serious.

"Pa, I mean it," he protested over the noise. "And she has reasons to believe so."

"Sure, Jesse didn't die falling out of a tree, but he falls out trees all the time. And maybe the cat is just extremely fertile. There are obvious answers to these irrational fears, Miles."

Jesse stopped laughing when his falling was mentioned.

"Do you have something to add, Son?" Angus prodded, smiling encouragingly.

"Pa, it's true, I fall out of trees all of the time, but there's something I didn't tell you about that specific time I fell. I was thirty feet in the air when I dropped, _and_ I landed on my back. I should have died, or at least broken most bones in my body. But I was completely fine. I didn't even feel any pain." Jesse glanced at Miles, who wore the same grim expression on his face that hadn't left since he had gotten back home.

"Jesse Alan Tuck, what are you talking about?" Mae stood up slowly from her seat at Miles' feet and towered over the younger boy, but he wasn't fazed.

"Ma, it's been ten years, let it go. I fell, I didn't die, I should have died. That's what you need to get from what I said."

"Jesse is right, Ma. Something happened to us, something that changed us, so that we…never change." Miles struggled a bit, before adding, "I just wish I knew what that thing was."

"The spring." Angus stood up and looked out of the window that faced Miles' own cabin, where he should be sleeping now with his wife and son.

"What, Angus?" Mae asked, caught off-guard by her husband's contribution to the conversation.

"The spring. It has to be that. We've lived our lives in the most ordinary way possible. Every day we go to work, we feed our livestock, we raised our families. The one thing we did that could have possibly impacted our lives in any way was that clearing in the woods, how did Patience describe it? The one that looked like elves lived in it?"

Jesse nodded, "Patience and I go there all the time. I'm surprised I didn't think about this before, but that "T" I carved in the trunk? It's still there, and it's just as fresh as the day I made it."

Mae's face began to lose its color, and Angus rushed over to help her down on the sofa next to Miles.

"What does this mean?" Miles asked the question they all had pressing on their minds, but no one wanted to say out loud.

"It means," Angus replied, a sigh rolling from his chest as though a new weight had been added to his shoulders, "we should prepare for things to change drastically in our lives."

* * *

Jesse met Patience by the silo the next morning, per his request. He was grateful she had agreed; he knew what Margaret thought of his family, and he was afraid she would convince Patience not to meet with him.

"Thank you for meeting me, Patience." He tried to smile, but even forcing it was difficult.

"Of course. I've been through too much with you to allow a silly argument between my sister and brother to keep me away." Patience smiled gently, urging Jesse with her eyes to continue, to explain away the problem, to convince her that it was, truly, just a silly quarrel that would work itself out eventually.

Jesse didn't know if he was capable of such a task.

With a sigh, he said, "I have good news, and I have bad news. The good news is, my family is not possessed." He paused, waiting for a reaction, but the girl waited for him to finish his argument. "The bad news is, my family has been changed. Whether it's for better or for worse is still up to interpretation."

"What does that mean, Jesse?" Patience crossed her arms over her chest, clearly not about to play any games.

"I mean that my family is different, Patience, but I think I know why, and it's not due to any demons possessing us. It's the spring."

"What?"

"The spring," Jesse continued. "You know that cold spring by the ash tree in the clearing I showed you? The one we camped at when my family first moved to Treegap? We drank from that spring, and since then we haven't grown, we haven't changed, we haven't aged a day. I can fall out of trees and not feel pain. Miles cuts himself, but he goes to clean it, and it's gone; there's not even a scar left to remember the ordeal with. And the only reason we can think of that would have caused this is that little spring we found all those years ago." 

"You say it was the spring?"

Patience had turned as white as a sheet. When Jesse nodded, she almost fainted, but she kept herself upright. Leaning on the silo, she began to take deep breaths as Jesse leant her his arm for additional support.

"Patience? What's the matter? Do you know something I don't about that spring?"

Patience stood still for a second, then resolutely turned and looked Jesse dead in the eye. "No. It can't be the spring. I don't know what it is, but it's not the spring. You and your family have obviously dealt with other-natural beings, and I'm not about to be a part of something so evil that it collaborates with the devil." She let go of his arm, and slowly began to move back towards her home.

"Patience, wait up, please. Don't leave. We'll work this out. I know it was the spring; it couldn't have been anything else. My family would never make a deal with the devil. YOU KNOW THAT, Patience. You've known me for ten years, why wouldn't you believe me over some superstition your sister has?" Jesse had begun to run after the girl, but she was faster, and the gap between them was growing as he began to slow down.

Patience turned around. Sighing, she whispered, barely audible to Jesse, "Because I don't want to." And turning her back to him for the last time, she fled away through the woods.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I'm so sorry this update is so late. School has beaten me. Hope I can add a few chapters this Thanksgiving.

Chapter 6

"Jesse, please eat something." It had been the umpteenth time Mae had begged her son to consume one of the dishes she had prepared for the special holiday, but he was not in the mood to eat cookies and bread. Even his favorite dish, cranberry sauce, could not tempt him this day. He had lost his best friend forever, and he still hadn't wrapped his head around what had happened in the last twenty-four hours.

The silence continued for another hour. Nobody spoke; Angus whittled away on a stick that had made it in with the firewood, Mae tried to find places to keep the uneaten food, and Jesse just stared at the wall. This was the stillest he had ever been. Only once every few minutes did his eye twitch, signifying that he was still alive.

Eventually, the boy broke the silence.

"Where is Miles, Ma?"

Mae sighed, wiping her hands on her apron. "I don't know, Jesse; maybe he should be left alone—"

"Where is he, Ma?" Jesse's voice was resolved, and his mother decided not to fight this battle. "He's at the clearing." Her voice cracked, and before Jesse left, he made sure to give his mother a hug.

"Everything's going to be all right. You'll see." He whispered in her ear, and he felt her squeeze him a little harder.

* * *

Jesse found Miles sitting under the Ash tree, staring off into a swamp. Any other day, Jesse would have been fascinated with the marshland, enjoying the way the sunbeams danced off the moss that floated on the top of the stagnant water, the glistening dew drops causing tiny rainbows to float barely in the air above the vegetation that cropped up here and there. Today, it was grey, snow made everything slushy and he couldn't think of a spot he'd rather avoid than this clearing.

"Miles," Jesse cut the silence with his words, not wanting to startle his brother. "Are you doing okay?"

There was no response from Miles except an occasional pebble thrown into the marsh pond.

"Look, I know that this is a lot to take in."

More silence.

"But think of it: immortality! Doesn't that excite you a little bit?"

That brought a reaction.

"Excite me? EXCITE ME?!" Miles went from a zero to a ten in about one second. "Sure let me just check how all of this new information that was sprung on me all at once lost me my only son, my wife, my LIFE in literally one night. Yes, I do believe that the word that describes me right now is EXCITED. I am a freak. I'm not normal. Never again will I be able to be 100% vulnerable with anybody for fear that our secret will be released to the public, if our secret is even true. Maybe we have a disease. You ever think about that? No, you just assume that whatever happened is amazing. Well, you haven't been married to someone for years, someone you thought you could trust with anything. And then comes along a detail that literally changes your whole life and that person leaves you without a second thought. Let's also run through how apparently not only did I lose all of these people I hold very near and dear to my heart, and consider the fact that once they die, I will continue to be the same as I ever was – a sad twenty-something year old man who will never find someone like me."

Tears were streaming down Miles' face, and Jesse did not know how to respond. Miles wasn't finished.

"I'm going to be okay now, but in fifty years, Jesse? In fifty years, I'm going to be one tired son of a bitch."

Jesse didn't fully understand what his brother meant, but he figured he wasn't meant to know. At this time, he was to comfort. He also didn't know how to do that well, but he was willing to try. Scooting over a few feet to the patch of moss Miles was stretched across, he leaned and gently patted the man's shoulder. This simple act broke his brother, and Miles melted into Jesse's arms. The two sat, watching the sun set behind the trees, knowing that when it came up the next morning, the world around them would have changed slightly, but they'd be exactly the same.


End file.
